Hay-tedder.



Patented oct. I4, |902.

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HAY TEDDER.

A (Application led July B, 1901.)

@zz j@ MV No. 7|I,226. Patented Oct. I4, |902. E. D. & 0. B. REYNOLDS.

HAY TEDDER.

App1ication led July S, 1901.) (No Modal.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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N0. 7II,226. Patented Oct. I4, |902.

E. D. G. D. B. REYNOLDS.

HAY TEDD-EB.

.Application filed July 8, 1901.) (No Mndsl.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OEETcE.

EDMUND D. REYNOLDS AND OLIVER B. REYNOLDS', OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

HAY-TEDDER.

,SPECIFCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 711,226, dated October 14, 1902.

Applicationliled July 8, 1901. Serial No. 67.529. (No model.)

To (1J/Z whom, it muy cm2/cern:

Beit known that we,EDMUND D. REYNOLDS and OLIVER B. REYNOLDS, citizens of the United States, residing at Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hay-Teddcrs, of which the fol1ow ing is a specificat ion.

Our invention relates to certain new and tuseful improvements in that class of agricultural machines commonly known as haytedders which are provided with forks operated by means of a crank-shaft or equivalent device and suitable connections whereby as the machine is drawn over the ground the forks spread or turn the new-mown grass and loosen it for drying; and our invention consists of the parts and the constructions and combinations of parts which we will hereinafter describe and claim. t

The present invention is an improvement on and possesses certain advantages overour former tedder, described and claimed in our former patent, No. 578,500, dated Marchi), 1897.

In theaccompanying drawings, which form part of thisspecification, and in which like letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tedder embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detached view of the tedder-arm and its connection. Figs. 3 to 20 are details of construction to be hereinafter referred to. Fig. 21 is a perspective view of the machineframe.

In the saiddrawings, Arepresentsthe main axle of suitable construction, and B are the main bearing and supporting wheels. The main frame of the machine we prefer to construct of angle-iron, because of its strength and lightness, and this main frame includes a horizontal front bar a and rearwardly-extending side bars h, one end of the latter being secured to the front bar near the ends of the latter, and at the central portion of the machine are two other angle-bars c, placed adjacent to each other and containing between them the gearing which operates the forks in the manner we will hereinafter indicate, these bars c having their forward porcured to and support another angle-bar C, eX-

tending transversely across the frame,'and which bar C and the bars and standards before described constitute a light and yet rigid framework which satisfactorily supports the moving parts and the weight of the machine and driver and reduce the strains upon the machine to a minimum. i

The extremities of the angle-bar C have bolted to them the right-angled brackets d,

one member of which projects rearwardlyy and is pierced to form a bearing for a trunnion e, projecting laterally from a casting D (shown in detail in Fig. 3) and having recesses upon opposite sides to receive the ends of a folded or clamp strap E, the bight of` which serves as a bearing for one end of a shaft F, which extends transversely across the machine just back of and slightly below the plane of the frontangle-bar C. The strap has a bolt c,by which it is clamped to the shaft. ByV thus mounting the castings D, one of which is at each end of the angle-bar and others of a similar character are likewise fitted to the webs of the standards which connect the main side bars to the bar C, we are permitted to form an appropriate bearing and support for the shaft F and also provide a tilting means by which this shaft is carried, and by locating the angle-bar() slightlyabove and in advance of the shaft and connecting it with the standards and the side and intermediate horizontal bars below We obtain a very rigid frame and one that does not depend upon the main axle to sustain any material part of the weight and strain, the said axle being thus left to perform its sole duty without danger of its being sprung by excessive strains transmitted to it through a weak or flexible frame. Each of these standards has bolted to it and to a side angle-bar a bracetoo bar 50 of angle-iron, and which is formed or provided with a bearing f,` Fig. 10, for the end portions of a crank-shaft G, which extends across the machine and whose cranked portions are so disposed with respect to each other that the proper tossing action is `given these forks. The crankshaft also has a bearing at its central portion on one of the intermediate frame-bars.

The swinginglinks H are of a general yoke or forked shape, and neartheir upper portions they each have bolted to them a casting or block I,.Fig. l1, which projects from their front side and is forked or recessed at the upper end to form two eyes or sleeves stand-ing in line and adapted to receive the shaft F, a strap or open-side collar g, Fig. 12, encircling the portion of the shaft between the two eyes or sleeves and the free ends of the collar being united by a bolt h, which is preferably of the {iattened type, as its flat side bearing against the shaft will tend to maintain the collar more squarely against the shaft. rllhe essent-ial purpose of the collar is to prevent lateral movement of the casting or block onv the shaft, which casting or block serves as the hinge about which the link swings in its operation, andthe said block or casting, Fig. 11, being preferably made with a lug m on its back to fit between the forks or members of the link and to be securely bolted and maintained in position. Also by making the collar with an open side it may be readily removed without disturbing the shaft.

In Fig. 2 we illustrate the swinging link dey tached and alsoshow the spring-fork arm,

which is an important part of this invention. In said figure one of the tedder-arms K is shown, this arm including a rigid bar 10 and a yoke-shaped bar 1l, the two having their forward ends bolted to a divided journal-box L, whichbox, as shown in Fig. 4, is of per cnliar form in that its two parts are each formed with short lugs 12, which fit corresponding openings in the upper and lower bars of the tedder-arms, 4and thereby increase the rigidity of the parts, and the meeting faces of the two parts of the boX are offset or one recessed and the other formed with lugs to prevent one part of the boX sliding onthe other. The remaining portion of the tedderarm consists of two bars 16 17 of spring metal,

"made light and flexible, yet of sufficient movement of the casting.

strength for the purpose. The lower bar 16 has one end passed between the top of the channel-bar 10 andthe under side of the archbar 1l and is securely held by bolts passing through it and said bars and also through a casting M on the under side of the bar 10, said casting having a lug or web 12', Fig. 16, which fits the channel in the bar to increase stability of the parts' and prevent lateral The casting is also formed with eyes or holes 13, adapted to receive journals or pins 14 on the inner faces of the forks of the swinging links. To the rear end of the casting is bolted a yoke 15,

whiclrextends upwardly, closed at the top and adapted to have the iieXible bar 17 passed through it, the frontend of the upper ilexible bar 17 being bolted to the top of the arched bar of the tedder-arm. Within the yoke 15 is a tube or barrel 18, which is immovably held in the yoke by pins on it passing into openings in the yoke-arms, and within said tube or barrel and bearing up against the upper bar is seated a coiled spring or cushion 19, which yields under the compression imparted to it by the flexible portion of the 'redder-arm when said arm meets an obstruction and is moved vertically thereby. To the rear end of the tedder-arm the fork O is attached, this fork being substantially of the form shown and described in our former patent, and its upper portion or short arm 20 is pivotally connected with the rear end of the .fork-rod P by means of an eye or clasp 2l,

member constituting one side of the'link having the upper and lower pins made rigid with it and the other member of said link having holes to receive pins, said pins being, if desired, reduced at their outer ends to adapt said ends for riveting or bolting up. To prevent displacement of the clasps 21, we may form them with ears or flanges to pass down over the sides of the fork-rod. The coiled portion of the fork is mounted upon aspool 32 (shown in detail in Fig. 14) and which spool is Iiatteued at 32 to receive the flattened portion of the clasp 23, between the forward separated ends of which the rear ends of the exible or spring bars 16 17 of the tedder-arm are bolted. By flattening the spool, as shown, said spool is maintained in position and prevented from endwise movement. The tedder-arms as thus described andas shown inA Fig. 2 carry the forks and transmit the power from the crank-shaft to the forks, said arms also yielding to allow the forks to conform to the unevenness. of the ground and to pass obstructions. In our said former patent the fork-arms transmit the power to the forks, and a separate member or spring-arm is employed to provide the yield necessary to permit the fork to pass over obstructions. The present construction, however, is found by actual experimentand testing to be superior to the former one, as it possesses greater flexibility and disposes of the vibration caused by the speed of the travel of the fork. In the present case when a fork meets an obstruction that tends to lift it vertically the lower spring-bar will curve upwardly and the upper will be buckled by this action of the lower bar and will fulcrum against the crossbar of the yoke, which thus forms a stop, and

IOO

be curved throughout its length, the middle by when the crank moves the lower ends of' the links in one direction the upper ends of said links will be moved in the opposite direction, which causes the fork-rod to travel faster and the fork to operate quicker in picking up the hay and also when it is returning above the hay.

The machine has a support for the usual seat for the driver, and power to operate the tedder-arms is derived through a large sprocket-wheel 32 on the shaft A, from which a chain extends to a sprocket-wheel 33 on a shaft 34, said shaft 34 also carrying a gearwheel 35, adapted to engage and drive apinion 36 on the crank-shaft G. The chain has the usual guard 50. In order that the crankshaft may be connected to or disconnected from the power devices, We employ the shifting mechanism shown in Figs. 8, E), l5, 19, and 20. These consist, primarily, of a fixed casting or bearing 37 for the shaft 34, having upwardly-extending lugs 3b, which are bored to receive a sliding bolt 39, one end of which carries a yoke to embrace a grooved hub on the slidable gear-wheel 35, said gear-wheel having on its opposite face a clutch member to engage a similar member on the sprocketwheel 33. The slidable bolt 39 at a point between the lugs 38 is bored vertically to receive a turnable rod or shaft 40, which carries an eccentric plate or disk 4l and a lug or arm 43. The eccentric disk has two ears or lugs 44, between which the lower end of a lever 45 is pivotally secured, the upper end of this lever having a bent or hook-shaped end passing through an opening in a plate 46, Fig.

l5, said opening having a contracted por-` tion into which the bent end of the lever is forced to lock the disk against movement. The disk always rests squarely on the sliding box, and when the lever is operated to separate the clutch members the upper end of the lever lies in the larger portion of the opening in the plate 46, and the lever may then be turned axially by reason of the pin 46, and the eccentric plate or disk 4l may be turned to cause the eccentric portion to be moved from its contact with one of the lugs 38 into contact with the other lug 38, each of said lugs having a notch or stop 100, engaged by the lug 43, to limit the axial movement of the disk, rlhis movement ot' parts causes the slidable member of the clutch to move away from the fixed member in the usual manner, and when the clutch members are thrown together, as'by a movement the reverse of that just described, the upper end of the lever is pressed into the contracted portion of the opening in the plate 46, and thereby locks the disk against movement.

The foregoing, which involves some departure from the shifting devices shown in Fig. 4 of our former patent, provides a simple and effective means for throwing the tedder arms and forks into and out of connection with the power mechanism.

Having thus described our invention,what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A hay-tedder having tedder-arms made rigid for a portion of their length, the remaining portions of said arms comprising superposed flexible members capable of respondin;r to pressure in vertical planes. i

2. A hay-tedder having tedder-arms said arms having their rear portions formed of a plurality of superposed spaced plates made flexible so as to respond to pressure in vertical planes. l

3. A hay-tedder having tedder-arms made rigid for a portion of their length, and having the remaining portion of their length composed of superposed flexible members connected to each other at their rear and to the rigid portion at the front, and capable of responding to pressure in vertical planes, and links suspending the arms near their middle portions and connected to the said rigid portion of the arms.

4. A hay-tedder including tedder-arms each `formed of separated superposed rigid members and superposcd liexible members the rigid and flexible members extending substantially in the same direction and the flexible members constituting the rear ends of the arms and yieldable in vertical planes, and forks carried by the iiexible members.

5. A hay-tedder having tedder-arms and means suspending their forward ends, said arms including a rigid forward portion and a yielding rear portion, said forward portion comprising a lower bar and an upper arched bar and said rear portion comprising a plurality of flexible bars having their forward ends secured to the rigid front portion, and forks carried by the rear ends of said flexible bars.

6. In a hay-tedder the tedder-arms and means suspending their front ends, said arms consisting of a lower bar and an upper arched bar both extending a part of the length of the arms, and upper and lower iiexible bars secured to said first-named bars and extending for the remainder of the length of the arms whereby the rear portions of the arms are yieldable in vertical planes,and pivotallymounted forks carried by the yieldable portions of the arms.

7. In a hay-tedder, the tedder-arms rigid for a portion of their length and flexible for the remainder of their length, forks carried by the iiexible portions of the arms, links connected pivotally with the rear ends of the rigid portion of the arms, and rods connect- ICO ing the upper portions of the links with the forks.

8J In a hay-tedder, the tedder-arms having rigid front portions and flexible rear portions comprising upper and lower bars converging rearwardly, forks carried by the rear ends of the bars, a yoke fixed to the rigid front portions of the arms and inclosing said Hexible bars transversely and against the upper end of which the upper ilexible bar fulcrums, and a spring within the yoke and bearing upwardly against said upper bar.

9. In a hay-tedder the tedder-arms including rigid separated members, and a shaft about which the arms swingin vertical planes, said arms having journal-boxes for the shaft consisting of two members with interlocking meeting faces, each of said members having a lug projecting from its outer surface and adapted to fit openings in the separated members of the tedder-arms.

10. In a hay-tedder, the tedder-arms each consisting of a rigid channel-bar extending part way of the arms and a superposed arched bar extending about the length of the firstnamed bar, superposed bars of flexible material extending from the rigid bars rearwardly, the front end of one of said flexible bars being secured between the rear ends of the rigid bars and the front end of the other flexible bar being secured to said arched bar, a casting having a lug fitting the channel of' the first-named rigid bar, a yoke secured to the casting and extending upwardly, and embracing the flexible bars, a spring within the yoke and bearing against said upper flexible bar, the pivotally-mounted links, the pivot-.

ally-mounted forks, and a connection from the links to the forks.

l1. In a hay-tedder, the frame and a bar extending' across the same, in combination with castings having journals fitting bearings on the bar, straps or plates fixed to the castings and projecting rearwardly, a transverse shaft journaled in the bight of the straps, means for clamping the straps upon the shaft, means for raising and lowering the shaft vertically, the redder-arms, the forks, and swinging links connected with the shaft and having rods connecting their upper ends with the forks.

12. In a hay-tedder, the tedder-arms and the forks carried thereby, in combination with swinging links connected with the arms and pivotally hung at points between their ends whereby the ends of the links move in opposite directions, a crank-shaft for operating the arms, and rods connecting the upper ends of the links with the forks.

13. In a hay-tedder, the tedder-arms, the forks carried thereby and the crank-shaft, in combination with the swinging forked links secured to said arms, a casting having a lug fitting the fork of the links, and provided with separated sleeves or eyes, a shaft journald transversely across the machine below the upper ends of the links, and passing through said sleeves or eyes, an open-side collar on the shaft between the sleeves or eyes,`a bolt passing through the collar and having a fiat side to engage said shaft, and rods connecting the upperends of the links with the forks.

14. A hay-tedder including a framework of angle-iron and including front and side bars, and intermediate longitudinal bars, side and intermediate vertical standards, and a bar extending across the frame above the bars thereof, and secured to said standards; a main shaft journaled in the rear ends of the side and intermediate bars; a shaft supported from the upper transverse bar; a crank-shaft and tedder-arms operated thereby; power devices; and forks and connections by which they are operated.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDMUND D. REYNOLDS. OLIVER B. REYNOLDS.

Witnesses:

WM. E. PATCH, FRED. E. WHrrooMB. 

